An open letter to Mr. D.B.S. Jeyaraj
C. Wijeyawickrema
cwije7@yahho.com

Mr. D.B.S. Jeyaraj
www.transcurrents.com
djeyaraj2005@yahoo.com
editor@transcurrents.com

Dear Mr. Jeyaraj:

In a recent news report retired biochemistry professor Carlo Fonseka has identified you as a “brilliant journalist.” iHe was giving a keynote address at BMICH on 12/19/2006, on the occasion of celebrating Mr. Anandasangaree’s recent UNESCO Award (Ceylon Daily News, 1/13/07).

This is a significant commendation for you since Carlo is an authority on Sri Lankan history. The late Lal Jayawardena of WIDER in Norway in fact funded him for this history project (Island, 1/24/07).

Previously, you replied to me by e-mail when I sent you a copy of my essay, “An Immoral Report by Six Sinhala Colombo Lawyers.” In your reply you said, “Thanks for sending me this article. It has a different perspective and though I don’t agree with some points stated it certainly offers much food for thought...” I requested you on 12/30/06 to let me know what you did not agree and why.

Instead, what I have found is your continuation of a journalistic policy which supports at least indirectly, the terrorist outfit of Prabakaran. I cite two examples. In a recent essay (Island, 1/24/07), I.P.C. Mendis quotes your propagation of the Anglican Bishop of Colombo Rev. Duleep de Chickera’s biased “wisdom” on statecraft. A priest should concentrate on his religion and not on war strategies.

I am more worried about the second example. In that essay titled, “The continuing agony of eastern Tamil civilians,” (1/23/07, http://transcurrents.com), I think you were not fair by President Rajapakse.

Despite a massive collection of data to the contrary, you hark back on a mythical allegation of “state-sponsored ethnic cleansing in Sri Lanka.” Since you are operating at international level such statements by you fall into the category of irresponsible journalism.

I quote the last paragraph of your essay.

“What is now happening in the East is a monumental crime against humanity with genocidal attributes. Innocent civilians are being decimated for politico-military objectives. Meanwhile Mahinda Rajapakse will continue taking “Malthattus” to viharas, observe “Sil” and listen to “sethpirith” being chanted. May the blessings of the Triple Gem be upon him. “Pin Siddha Vechaava.”


Do you have any idea why Buddhists take flowers to temples? It is a symbol of impermanence. Beautiful flowers in the morning whither away in a few hours time! Your story reminds me behavior of the former attorney general of Sri Lanka, Siva Pashupathi or the other one Paskaralingam. They are all now in the terrorist camp. What camp they were in as government servants? Both draw their pensions too.

Buddhism got wiped out from India and in modern times from South Korea because of what you think Buddhist should do in a world fighting to eliminate others’ religion. Just like the Cobra Bodisatva who ended up in a kitchen of an old lady while in search of water during a drought had to show her his full fan when she took a stick to hit him thinking it was a garandiya, GOSL had to talk to the terrorist in the language they understand to chase them out of the Marvil Aru anicut. The rest is history now. Because you cannot accept this reality you are talking Bana that you yourself do not really understand.

Did you know that the U.S. president Ronald Regan used this same language of missiles, the only language that Gadafi in Libya understood? That stopped Gadafi and decades later he became a tamed lamb giving up all his nuclear ambitions.

Did you know that the American general George Patten, asked his army chaplain to write a prayer to get clear skies so that the American planes could attack the enemy positions? And the chaplain wrote it and Patton got the clear sky? And this Patton prayer is used by millions of Christians today?

Have also forgotten that the American planes dropped bombs in one area of Afghanistan and food baskets in another area of Afghanistan at the same time? If U.S. president George Bush could do that why do you think the Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse should not do it?

I am sure that under the Mahinda Chintanaya which is Buddhism in practice modified to suit the world situation in 2007 would make the Tamil people happier in months once the terrorism headache is removed from the island. He will follow what the great Buddhist king Ashoka did in India after the Kalinga war. If you talk to the Tamil people returning home at Vakarai you will understand what I mean.

In the past Tamil Christian leaders of the Tamil state party living in Colombo taught their children Sinhala but prevented the Jaffna poor Tamil learning Sinhala. Today journalists like you are not taking the side of the average Tamil. You are backing up the Tamil politicians.

You should use your position as an international journalist to device a mechanism to empower the average person in Jaffna, Batticaloa or Point Pedro. How that can be done is the theme of my essay that you read. Rather than playing to the tune of the Colombo black white crowd with a Majority Report, I urge you to work for a village council based power devolution and power sharing system for Sri Lanka. This is what all ethnic groups in Sri Lanka needs—to get rid of the Colombo control of people via a crazy and corrupt bureaucracy. With all the disasters of land slips, flooding and drought the spatial unit of village council and wards should be based on river basins/water sheds just like the river basin concept is applied in New Zealand.

The system can have a hierarchy so that at the top there are several predominantly Tamil or Muslim districts where the respective ethnic groups can work on their much cherished aspirations. Aspirations can also take place at the village council level without extra police stations as suggested by the Majority Report as happened for thousands of years before the colonial rulers came.

With a Tamilnad gorilla waiting on the other side of the Palk Street and the World Tamil Federation asking for a state for Tamils, this is the only way Sri Lankan Tamil leaders can live peacefully with the Sinhala Buddhists people (not politicians). Where do you think the Sinhala Buddhist people should go?

Thank you.